Don't You See the Starlight?
by a kiss of winter
Summary: Before descending herself up into the heavens, Luna has one last talk with her daughter...


_**-xoxo-**_

_**Don't You See the Starlight?**_

_**-xoxo-**_

"Why do you have to go?"

Luna looked back, and her heart shook as she noticed who exactly was standing behind her in the door. Tears were brimming lavender eyes, and uneasy breaths slipped out of the young mare before her.

"Everypony else has been gone - and now you have to leave as well?"

"Astra, you wouldn't-"

"_Tell me_. Mother died of natural causes, Aunt Celestia suddenly left and now, off you go as well? What is my fate in a thousand years time? Will I even live to see that?"

Releasing a sigh, Luna stepped forward towards her daughter. Princess Astra had grown beautifully over the years - into a young, smart and mature mare.

_So much like Twilight_, Luna thought as she mused over her late wife. It had been twenty years now since Twilight's death had rocked the nation of Equestria, and just now was Luna's heart starting to repair itself. But now was the time for change in the land - for the rule of the Sisters had gone far too long.

Celestia had left only months ago, after her daughter - Princess Cassara - had gone through with a proper coronation.

Now, it was Luna's turn...

"You were born an alicorn," she explained. "You will live as long as you like until you feel it is your time to depart from this land."

"So it's suicide," Astra snapped.

Luna shook her head. "It is not death, but rather a spiritual experience," she said simply. "You know your duty when I'm gone."

"I don't want you to go," Astra begged. "I would have nopony."

"You will be ruling side-by-side with your cousin. You have her," Luna replied. "And I'm positive that you will find somepony special to love, as fate would allow it." She gently brushed voluminous sparkling purple curls from her daughter's vision and gave a hopeful smile. "You will be a fantastic ruler, Astra, I can guarantee it. And worry not, I will visit... in my own way."

The younger Princess looked up, and met her mother's gaze. "How?" she whispered.

Luna gave a bittersweet smile. "It's a surprise," she murmured. "I will appear when you least expect it." She let out a sigh, and shook her head. "Besides, I am beyond old, even for an alicorn - I stopped keeping track of my age after I hit four thousand years. It is my time to leave."

"I'll miss you," Astra choked out.

"Don't cry, little star," Luna said softly. "Be brave, for me. For the rest of your family. For Equestria. The future of the nation will do just fine in your hooves."

Holding onto her mother, Astra did as she was told and pushed back the urge to cry.

Luna was right.

Equestria had to move on and became a new world - a new nation - with new rulers. The passing of the torch to the younger Princesses had finally come around full swing. Responsibility-wise, they were ready for it. However, relationship-wise...

Astra stepped away, and let out a light sniffle, giving a nod to her mother. "I won't fail you," she declared.

"I'm glad to hear that," Luna smiled.

"So is this goodbye?" Astra said carefully.

"For now," Luna responded. "But not for long."

With that said, her body suddenly dissolved into a fog of stars and moonlight, swirling up into the air and beyond the clouds. It soared up high, until it hit the brightest star up in the sky, and disappeared.

"Goodbye," Astra whispered.

And that night, all of Equestria could hear the young Princess's cries.

**_~xoxo~  
_**

"Do you think she'll be alright? She looks so broken. How could you have left her like that? It wasn't for me, was it?"

Luna couldn't help but give a bittersweet smile as she looked up and saw the spirit of Twilight floating before her. "If she's anything like you, she'll be just fine," she murmured.

Twilight let out a sigh, and shook her head. "I didn't mind waiting for you," she replied. "You could have stayed."

"Astra would not have learned if I had stayed," Luna said, with a sigh, as she laid down on the clouds next to her wife.

The two of them looked out over the horizon, and saw their daughter on the balcony of the castle, crying. The sight was like a trainwreck - a horrible scene to face, but neither of them could look away.

Twilight blinked back tears of her own. "Do you think she'll be alright?" she repeated.

Luna nodded. "I know she will," she murmured.

* * *

_**author's note:** Gah, I need to stop writing so many long drabbles. Oh well._


End file.
